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Timeline of Southern Africa
5600 B.C- The largest grass in the South African Mediterranean package, African Grain, is domesticated by Khoisan hunter-gatherers. 4500 B.C- First evidence of !FghUlu!n culture in the Cape. 4200 B.C- Khoi split off from San, ethnically. San abandon the areas used by Khoi intensive farming and begin to migrate. First pottery seen in the cape area. 4000 BC- !FghUlu!n at apex. Not much evidence from this period. Sickles first used in the area. Domestication of the South African Fava bean, a subspecies of the main bean. 3700 BC- !FghUlu!n begins to decline. The first cities in the area appear, but their pottery is less unique and beautiful, taking a more utilitarian role. 3600 BC- First evidence of storehouses in !FghUlu!n culture. Storehouses may have been used earlier as well. 3500 BC- Catastrophic collapse of !FghUlu!n culture. Assumed destroyers are the San, who are now aggressive. 3400 BC- First Khoi cultural dark age. Pottery disappears completely and there is little evidence of stone structures. 3000 BC- First evidence of new stone structures appear. The Mulundi culture appears in the area. the main city in the area is !Ghala!. !Ghala! begins trading with the San and Khoi in the tropical areas. Crops cannot be diffused because of the fact that Mulundi crops do not work in tropical climates. 2800 BC- Mulundi culture greatly expands in population boom. first evidence of pottery seen beyond Cape. Mulundi wares found as far as The Kalahari, but are most likely traded by the San. 2600 BC- Mulundi culture at Apex. Great stone cities, first circuit walls. Diamonds appear for the first time in Mulundi jewellery. 2400 BC- Ghala collapses, it's neighbour Kala!hi rises to power in the area. 2200 BC- Pictograms used in Kala!hi and neighbouring states. 2150 BC- First signs of Cape Irrigation and temples. Heavy emphasis seems to be put on the God of the harvest, and the God of Architecture(Oolant!oo). The latter god is often seen in the massive mud brick temples of the time. Evidence of ancient quarries to build these temples is seen in the South African desert. 2100 BC- The first of the great pillars is built. A great pillar is a massive stone tower, a commemoration of the sun God and his harvest gifts. The intriguing thing is that instead of slaves or kings being there, instead the priests are buried in massive complexes under it. Apparently, the prevailing attitude of the various city states is that the Priests hold complete authority in the area. 2000 BC- A hardier strain of African grain more resistant to the warmer southern cape climate is bred. A massive expansion takes place in which the Mulundi culture settles the area. These cities are called the Ka-S! cities due to a mixed ethnicity of San hunter-gatherers who settled in the area and the Ka, formerly the Khoi. 1900 BC- End of the Mulundi culture. By this point, the Cape is dominated by two rival states, the Kala!hi and the Gurundi. The Gurundi inhabit OTL Cape town, and are mainly seafaring. This will give them an advantage later. 1800 BC- Second population boom as the Fish river is diverted into canals in the north. The ingenuity of these canals are staggering, and they are done by a culture still in the stone age. Excavated remains show that they actually used Diamonds as the tips of tools, which gave the tools unimaginable hardness and contributed to their technical magnificence. 1740 BC- The great wars between the Kala!hi under Ghulube. He is a priest-king who has assumed power. Under his reign, the great tower of Ghulube was built, reportedly standing 100 feet high. This is also the first recorded record ever in South Africa. Pictograms indicate that he was glorified. ‘I took the men of Gurundi, and their women. I put their men to my spear, and they yelled in agony. The women beat their breasts crying for their lovers, but to no avail. I am death, I am the sun, I am the stone. I crush them beneath my feet, my sandals feel nothing. Like diamonds, I cut through their hearts, break their walls, and destroy them. I am Death incarnate. I am Ghulube. Fear me, love me. I am his emissary.’ 1710 BC- Ghulube is killed in raids against the S!. His empire falls apart as he has no clear-cut successor. He is the first emperor in the area. 1650 BC- After the status quo is restored, a massive S! migration from Botswana takes control of the Cape. They become assimilated into the local population. The Saguin dynasty lasts for around 400 years. 1500 BC- Logogramic scripts are first seen. They are clumsy and look more like pictures than more advanced logograms, but they are a start. 1450 BC- First mathematical equations found in the area. They seem to be calculating angles of buildings such as Great pillars. 1300 BC- The southern cape becomes a cultural trading zone with the rift valley cultures of the north. The largest trading kingdom is famous for its use of Human slaves to carry things. War is constant in this area, the main goal being for slaves. The fighting goes back and forth. 1250 BC- The Saguin dynasty collapses after the last king is murdered by a Gurundian. He declares that he is to be the next great Kholono, or Priest-King. He begins campaigning against the Southern Cape peoples. However, he’s defeated. The Sothern Cape kingdoms have a new weapon- copper. This powerful new metal is much stronger than stone and they defeat him. The Western Cape is taken over by the largest kingdom of the area, Zuni. Their Merchant-Priest King is a very unique one. In Southern Cape cultures, the most honourable man is the one who can sell the most slaves. Once a man has caught 5 slaves, he is considered a fit candidate for priesthood. In this area more emphasis is placed on the god of Money Hulan!. 1200 BC- The new King of Zuni is Gurundian. He declares Gurundi to be the new capital of Zuni. 1100 BC- First public trash dumps see outside Gurundi. These areas seem specified and are marked by dirt roads. 1000 BC- Gurundi reaches a population of 57,000. It is surrounded by massive circuit walls and irrigation canals as well as a complex system of rain collectors and spring diverters. 950 BC- The last king of Zuni is overthrown by his fellow Priests. They set up a new state but it soon splinters. The cape is once again fragmented, not to be united until the 200s BC. 933 BC- Approximate date of the birth of Gazangili, great prophet of the coming. he is born in Gurundi. 910 BC- In a miracle, Gazangili is declared a heretic and to be killed by impaling, a popular form of murder in The Cape. When he declares he will never adhere to the gods of Gurundi, the Kholono orders him dead. When they try to kill him, the great pillar falls on them. Gazangili’s followers declare him to be the son of The God of the sea, Nagabu. Gazangili then, according to legend, strikes the canal with his staff. He walks across it, and generates a bridge for his followers to walk across as he leaves. He leaves Gurundi of his own accord. 907 BC- While in the desert, he comes across something peculiar. It is, in fact, a Gazelle which has been injured. He tends to the gazelle, and it allows him to ride it. When he strides back into Gurundi, many people, including the Kholono, bow to him. He is declared the new Kholono of Gurundi. He declares all other gods except the Gazelle meaningless, and that the animal kingdom is the true pantheon, with the Gazelle as the messenger. 870 BC- By now, soon after Gazangili’s death, the new pantheon is the main religion among the Cape and is spreading like wildfire. However, clouds of evil hover above the great trading nations of the coast. 865 BC- The trading nations collapse, due to slave rebellions, one by one. The collapse of the polities is mainly because of the collapse of the human cattle slave trade. 850 BC- In a shocking turn of events, the big Five, excepting Reindeer are brought to the area using old trade routes. The entire economy of the South Coast collapses. However, this brings unprecedented expansion. Many of the peoples who left their homes in the aftermath of the trading state collapse expand inwards with their new herds of cattle. The reason why they were domesticated so quickly was that Pastoralists taught the people of the area. 840 BC- The damage from the collapse of Human cattle trade is recovered as these new animals bring immense profit. Hasangui, an interior state, makes massive amounts of money rearing cattle. 820 BC- Many San in the area begin to rear cattle as well. Sheep are now widespread across the whole interior plateau. 800 BC- The first and last Khoisan In the way of the dominoes of migration arrive in South Africa. Massive chaos ensues, as many of these peoples have stone weapons. 793 BC- The Five hundred years war begins. The States of the Cape ad southern coast unite as the Khoisan push their way through the area. To the Cape, this seems like punishment for not adhering to the doctrine of the Gazelle enough. 785 BC- The Khoisan score several devastating victories against the northern city states but are unable to scale their circuit walls. They starve them by destroying their irrigation systems, which will be damaged for several centuries until after the Five hundred years war. 781 BC- In a time of need, a champion arises among the Gurundi. Hailing from Gazangili himself, Ghana!abe leads the league to victory after victory. He is the first true general of the area. His tactics use Bronze armoured heavy infantry(Impali) to deliver devastating blows to the weaker Khoisan and then pounds their remains with his light infantry by forcing them into routs. 774 BC- After a Seven year campaign, the Khoisan are soundly defeated. At least, that particular group of them. The league soon falls apart due to infighting, after Ghana!abe attempts to turn the league into vassals of Gurundi. 770 BC- Under an alliance, the league manages to finally defeat Ghana!abe. He is killed by impaling and Gurundi is crippled for years to come. 760 BC- The CxXasha group reaches South Africa. With only Ten years’ rest and their former leader dead of their own accord, the league suffers defeat after defeat. Gurundi is captured by the CxXasha, but they are forced out after heavy use of slaves and forced peasant troops. 751 BC- After Nine years of campaigning, the CxXasha are finally forced out of the South African Cape region. They do not leave, however. 745 BC- The CxXasha migrate into the interior plateaus of the Transvaal. In this area, they establish a pastoralist society. Ruled by a Buluge, they are constantly internally feuding. It will not be until the arrival of Sorghum and African rice that they will establish a truly sedentary society. 741 BC- The Lalungo Khoisan group reaches The South African cape. The city states, though tired, now have fully trained veterans and push them out with ease. They survive, for now. 740 BC- The first complex mathematical equations are devised in the various Cape states. 720 BC- The bow is devised in South Africa. This is a huge, huge, help to the Cape war effort and although first used for hunting their usefulness in battle is soon deduced. 710 BC- The Western warrior kingdoms of the Cape refuse to use the bow as they believe it is a fool’s weapon. They shall see who are the fools very soon. 705 BC- A terrifying disease, or at least, the first record of it, is seen in Gazelles, which are often kept in cages in The Cape. Symptoms include internal bleeding, ulcers, heart failure, liver failure, and many others. The most noticeable sign, which gave it it’s common name, however, is bloody tears. This is why It is called Weeping Gazelle today. It quickly decimates the captive gazelle population. 700 BC- The disease has mutated to infect cattle. The first case of it is in a sheep, as recorded by palace scribes. 690 BC- The disease has spread to humans. First it targets the weak and the sick, then the old. Soon the Young start dying in this massive epidemic. When the Palace scribes figure out what is causing it, they come to a dilemma. Do they slaughter the gazelle which is sacred, or allow themselves to die? Signing a decree declaring any Gazelle infected to be impure and best done away with, they begin killing them en masse. However, it has also spread to cattle by this point. 682 BC- Over 20% of the Ka population has been killed. By now the survivors have developed some form of immunity. In the interior the disease devastates cattle populations but disappears quickly. The disease now lies dormant and kills a a small portion of the population every now and then. 670 BC- The pastoralists arrive. They come in massive waves, and are armed with bronze. However, they do not expect the bow. It slaughters them wholesale after they defeat the western warrior societies. 664 BC- A man by the name of Ngabo devises a theorem for determining how to find a triangle. It goes like this: (AxA)+(BxB)=CxC. Known as Ngabo’s theorem, it paves the way for mathematical prowess in the cape. More pressing concerns, however, is to fight off the Xosi pastoralists. 660 BC- After another Four year campaign, the city states fight off the pastoralists. In the frontline, the city states are taking a decidedly militaristic role in fighting them off. They provide the Impale of the league, and have a powerful military. The bowmen of the east are also decisive, and they have some of the best bows in South Africa. The Light slingers and other infantry are provided by the other city states. 654 BC- Gold from Zulunga begins to pour in exchange for bows and other items. This makes the city states get quite rich and pay for their soldiers. 650 BC- A type of African Grain, accustomed to growing on hilltops, is finally bred after some four hundred years in the cooler South African escarpment. The CxXasha begin to adopt farming and their population booms. They grow rich from selling diamonds and other minerals to the Cape city states. 643 BC- After seven years of quiet, the War of tears begins between the warrior city states and the Cape merchant states. The warrior city states want to even the scores as they are getting poorer and the Cape is getting richer. Their general, Zagagu, leads with them to battle. 642 BC- The battle of Gurundian plain begins. Lasting for a few days, the first limited use of a type of crossbow is seen. The crossbow will not appear again until the 6th century, and is merely a footnote. The battle ends in Gurundian favour with the Impale dispersed and their numbers to never be replenished until the mid 6th century. 640 BC- In the aftermath of the war great rifts open up in the league. Conflict begins when the league has a disagreement on whether to allow the CxXasha into the league. 639 BC- The Triple alliance is formed. CxXasha, Gurundi, and Hasangui ally against the other states of the area. 638 BC- The first use of siege weapons is demonstrated by aggressive Gurundian tactics. Their engineers are some of the best in the world, in fact. The CxXasha are excellent light and heavy troops, and the Hasangui’s great riches finance them. 637 BC- The forces of the Northern cape are defeated in a string of defeats forcing them to sign a peace bounding them to Hasangui. 636 BC- After another year, the state of the Eastern cape yield to Gurundi and are forced into the Gurundian league, a way for Gurundi to extort vast amounts of money from them at little cost. 635 BC- In the aftermath of the war the first version of the Doctrine of the Gazelle is written on clay. It has a vast amount of different commandments discussing the different things as preached by Gazangili. The Gazelle and his disciples are not to be treated as animals. They are gods. The parts of his covenant include that of the Gazelle, that of the lion, that of the Elephant, and that of the Wildebeest. He has many more, but they are not to be listed for now. The monkey is wise. Always preach to the monkey when in need of help. Sacrificing a gazelle that has the tears of impurity is encouraged. We must not allow them to be corrupted by the non-believers. Hunting those of the pantheon is forbidden. They are to be treated as they were greater than kings. The list goes on, discussing how to slaughter it, where, and how to treat Weeping Gazelle in humans. It is one of the first real religious documents seen in the area. Distributed far and wide, it is said to have been the most important document until much later. 630 BC- The lull in migrations allows Gurundi to develop her sea power. She begins to experiment with different ships and hull configurations that can move up and down the coast of Africa. 620 BC- An explorer by the name of Hananga goes with a large number of guards. They will go inland to discover Zulunga on behalf of the Buluge of CxXasha. 613 BC- He returns. However, in what is a shock to the Buluge is that he returns on an elephant, with a ton of gold! He is welcomed happily, and the introduction of elephants in the area would have several repercussions. 607 BC- The trade routes are reconstructed and the ‘Sorghum road’ is reopened. It stretches from Lake Victoria to South Africa. Along it several kingdoms would pop up. 600 BC- Year of the great Gazelle. Considerable drought in South Africa weakens Gurundi’s hold on the area. In order to find more food, they send ships to Mozambique to try and get food. 587 BC- Pressure between Hasangui, Gurundi, CxXasha begins to reach boiling point. Disagreements between the three has caused a Hasangui-CxXasha alliance against the Southern dominated Gurundian league. 585 BC- War finally begins. The opening moves of the war is Gurundi juggling between the CxXasha and Hasangui armies, using their attacks at different times to their advantage. Their Kholono, Hzange, is their greatest general and manages to win victory after victory. 583 BC- Hzange uses his coalition of tributary states against the CxXasha. The Hasangui pull out of the war by this point after Hzange places their capital under siege. 580 BC- After three years of campaigning Hzange forces the CxXasha out of the Great Karoo. He continues fighting, and pushes them back to the interior plateaus. 579 BC- Hzange is forced out of the great plateau by the CxXasha Buluge. Deciding to take another, more drastic, route, he crosses the Drakensburg mountains. 578 BC- The Drakensburg crossing turns into a quagmire as Hzange meets CxXasha elephants head on. His lines are destroyed and he is captured. 577 BC- The New Kholono of Gurundi proposes a final peace with the CxXasha. The Gurundians relinquish their tribute system and pay tribute to the CxXasha. 576 BC- The swing plough comes to South Africa. With this plough it is much easier to farm many areas. This, along with the new Gurundi aqueducts, devised by famous engineer Galungu, serve to increase regional population. Gurundi stands at a whopping 400,000 by now, with the total population of South Africa at around 8 million. 574 BC- The aqueducts of Gurundi are completed. The CxXashan Buluge proposes a new type of game, Cricket, which has been CxXashan tradition for centuries. The game will be held at Hasangui, and they will be dedicated to the Gazelle, as the Gazelle is the god of athletics. The different cities of the Cape agree to host these games every 5 years. 572 BC- The CxXashan Buluge begins campaigning against the Khoi herders in Botswana. 567 BC- In a raid against them the Buluge is killed. A civil war ensues as his two sons don’t want to share power. 566 BC- Gurundi sheds the tribute system and joins Hasangui in declaring war against the elder son, who is less supportive of them. 563 BC- The Elder son soundly defeats the Hasangui-Gurundi-Younger Buluge Pretender coalition in a decisive battle. Talgenwana, the name of the battle, would be echoed through the centuries. The Elder son, Falugana, is called the Disciple of the Lion by his opponents for his ferocity. 560 BC- Falugana changes the dynamics of war itself. He defeats the coalition several times soundly, and then proves his power by capturing Hasangui. He then turns around, and flanks his brother, defeating him and killing him in battle. With the CxXasha kingdom firmly secured, he turns towards the rebellious Gurundi. 557 BC- Three years of bloody campaigning, battles, and sieges finally spelled the end for Gurundi and the beginning of the first real empire in South Africa, the CxXasha empire. 553 BC- Falugana marries a princess of Gurundi. To avoid conflict between conflicting animist cults, he declares a tolerant policy. 550 BC- Falugana bears a son by the name of gNagubaluge. He is to be his heir. 547 BC- Construction on Falugana’s massive palace begins. He starts to campaign against a migrating group of people to the north, the Holoni. 544 BC- The Holoni, surprisingly, swear allegiance to Falugana and are given land in the Great Karoo to settle and tend their flocks. An excerpt from Falugana’s personal biography, the first of it kind in South Africa, explains it well. ‘After Three years, they were no longer interested in fighting. Their leader approached our camp, looking humbled. He had some strange features, like those that Zulunga fights. Perhaps they have been coming from the great divide(Great rift valley) in the north? I do not know. Anyways, he approaches me and surrenders his people. I am surprised, as no Xhosxhosian(Barbarian) has ever surrendered, preferring to settle in my peoples’ case, or simply leave. It seems they were not as warlike as I had thought, despite that they had taken many years to subdue. They simply want to be able to herd their livestock. I accepted them on the condition that they would join my great army, and their Kholono agreed. It was settled, then, and they were allowed to settle in the plain of the Karoo.’ 542 BC- After a bad case of Weeping Gazelle Falugana passes away and leaves his kingdom to his son. 541 BC- The Gurundians see their chance for revolt, and rise up against the CxXasha. This will be gNagubuluge’s first great trial. 540 BC- The revolt is crushed after Gurundi is finally defeated and the revolt’s leaders are impaled. gNagubaluge reinforces his rule in this way. 538 BC- Proving himself to be an able lawmaker as well as warrior, he composes the first real set of laws in South Africa. He illegalizes murder and sets a clear code which must be followed by all. 537 BC- An assassination attempt on the Buluge’s life causes him to grow more and more paranoid and insane, unfortunately. 535 BC- Gurundi is set on fire by accident when a building sets on fire. The Buluge’s response is swift, but soon after he regrets allowing them to live and massacres a few hundred Gurundians. 534 BC- He organizes the Fire watch, a team of volunteers, mainly slaves, who are ordered to watch for fires and put them out using local pumps and fountains. 530 BC- the Buluge is assassinated his Bulugena, or Queen. His son is poisoned soon after, and the various peoples of the area rebel. 525 BC- After five years of anarchy in the area a young CxXasha man acts and moves to save the Bulugedom. Defeating city state after city state, he ties them under his rule. 520 BC- Another invasion prompts the new Buluge to act and fight against the migrating peoples. 516 BC- Four years of campaigning makes the pastoral peoples settle in the Great Karroo. Now, it seems much easier to simply allow them to settle and tend their livestock rather than fight them. 511 BC- First puppet show recorded in South Africa. Used as childhood entertainment, it soon reaches many of the nobility who are intrigued. Soon real actors are employed to explore the possibilities. 506 BC- The Nioini invasions strike with such size and fury that the Buluge is caught off guard. They attack with a terrifying new weapon- Camels. They destroy the Buluge’s forces by outflanking them and defeating his elephants by dispersing them. 500 BC- the Nioini are at the gate of Calanga, the capital of the CxXasha.